Routine oasis day

Another watering day in triple digit heat. I've got watering down to a routine lately. Takes about six hours. While watering I asked myself what drives me, but I already knew. As I water each tree, I remember which lifer or rare bird I once saw in that tree. And equally, was able to share with others. That keeps me charged for what treats the future holds. I enjoy watering. Forces me to watch birds, butterflies, and dragonflies. Otherwise, I wouldn't be out in the heat doing that. 

For quite a while I watched a Fatal Metalmark dance around a Leopard Frog. Any second I expected a "fatal" outcome for the butterfly. Never did happen. I guess the frog was stuffed, or doesn't like butterflies.

All that May rain seems to have enabled a bumper crop of babies. Last week's quail chicks have grown some. Here's a trail cam screenshot from yesterday.

I think this is a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk.

And fledgling Mockingbirds are everywhere, begging to the adults. There are seven mockingbirds in this screenshot from a video clip. One is really hard to see, but it's there. (Its tail crosses the log on the lower right half of photo.) It was easier to see in the video.

The Crissal Thrasher is still frequenting the water drip during the heat of the day. I heard it come in today, but didn't see it. Busy watering elsewhere. Here's a video clip of it from yesterday.